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Re: Who was the greatest RB of all time?

The best running back (running, blocking, receiving) I've seen was Payton, IMO....but Barry Sanders, the best pure runner.</p>

I'd put Emmitt Smith right up their too....I hated and feared him when he was playing.</p>[/quote]

Smith is probably the most overrated back (although still HOF caliber). He had maybe the greatest offensive line of all time blocking for him. He also played forever and stayed pretty much healthy throughout his career, which results in amazing career stats. I'll give him a lot of credit for production, but I don't think he compares to these guys in ability.[/quote]

I agree. I think Smith was a great player. Dont get me wrong.

But, if you put Emmit Smith behind the line Barry Sanders played behind, he wouldnt even be in the conversation.

Re: Who was the greatest RB of all time?

Different eras in football make deciding an all time best a clearly subjective debate that will never ever be settled. The best RB playing today is clearly Adrian Peterson. I don't think many could argue that. But all time? My favorite is Barry Sanders, but the debate between him and Walter Payton will be an endless one. So I don't know what the answer is. I do, however, know that - numbers be damned - Emmitt Smith isn't even in the top 5.

Now that I've listed Adrian Peterson - a Viking, Barry Sanders - a Lion, and Walter Payton - a Bear, as my likely top 3 backs of all time, I'm headed to the restroom to throw up everything I've eaten today. Excuse me.

Re: Who was the greatest RB of all time?

The best running back (running, blocking, receiving) I've seen was Payton, IMO....but Barry Sanders, the best pure runner.</p>

I'd put Emmitt Smith right up their too....I hated and feared him when he was playing.</p>[/quote]

Smith is probably the most overrated back (although still HOF caliber). He had maybe the greatest offensive line of all time blocking for him. He also played forever and stayed pretty much healthy throughout his career, which results in amazing career stats. I'll give him a lot of credit for production, but I don't think he compares to these guys in ability.[/quote]

I hear this all the time. I don't feel like people like you are trying to discredit Smith, but there's always the "oh but he played with so and so" aspect of it all. And it's for every player on the team. "Aikman was a busdriver. Irvin had Aikman throwing to him, and benefited from Smith's running. Smith benefitted from Aikman and Irvin."

As for the Offensive line-- John Gesek was a 10th rounder, Nate Newton played in the USFL before he made it big, UFA Mark Tuinei made the team as a defensive tackle, Gogan 8th round. There were no 1st rounders (although Willams and Stepnoski were 3rd rounders) and they were coached by, get this, the guy who coached our crappy o'line these last few years.

The best offensive lineman Smith played with was drafted in 1994 (Larry Allen) after Smith and the Cowboys had already won 2 superbowls, midway through the strongest part of Emmitt's career.

I don't think he's better than the guys listed in front of him in terms of ability by any means, but I don't see how Smith is overrated. The man was very productive. 1st all time rushing 2nd all time TDs over 12 years (I went ahead and subtracted the years where he tacked on garbage stats with AZ) and was a huge component to the Cowboys 3 superbowl wins in the early 90s (also, Emmitt holds the NFL postseason record for rushing touchdowns,
consecutive games with a rushing touchdown, 100-yard rushing games, and
most postseason rushing yards).

And even still, I've never seen him considered the greatest of all time-- always ranked behind Brown, Sanders, Sayers, and Payton.